‰Û÷It‰Ûªs sometimes more than mind over matter ‰ÛÓ if you don‰Ûªt mind hurting yourself, it doesn‰Ûªt matter ‰ÛÓ and the brain can be a powerful tool in the armoury of any sportsman.‰Ûª ‰ÛÓ Andy McGechan
There wouldn‰Ûªt be many Kiwi sportsmen who could pick a glossy magazine from the shelf of any bookstore in Western Europe and see his own face grinning back at him from the cover. Josh Coppins is one Kiwi who fits that bill. The boy from Motueka is currently one of the fastest motocross people on the planet. Runner-up in the 2002 and 2005 world championships, Coppins would have been the undisputed 2007 world champion if not for a disastrous accident.
Coppins has come a long way since his world championship debut season in 1995. He steadily worked up through the world rankings to second place in 2002, riding for the Italian-based Vismara Honda team. His recent career has been dogged by injury. His 2003 season was almost over before it began after a supercross smash left him in hospital, written off by medical experts. He proved them wrong and was back on the podium by the end of the season, salvaging a world ranking of 12th.
Racing a hefty 450cc four-stroke bike in MX1 for the first time in 2004, Coppins savoured his first GP win at the Isle of Wight in May, on his way to a world ranking of number three. A pre-season accident meant his 2006 season didn‰Ûªt get off the ground until the year was halfway over, but he didn‰Ûªt give up. He showed the same determination towards the back end of the 2007 season, battling severe pain and a crippling injury whilst defending his dwindling lead in the world championship standings. /‰Û_2
It‰Ûªs been a roller-coaster ride to the top for Josh Coppins. His family made huge sacrifices financing his early years on the circuit and he‰Ûªs fought off allegations of drugs cheating in a tough sport that is physically and mentally demanding. Coppins‰Ûª achievements over the years have been remarkable, all the more so because he comes from a country where motocross is very much a minority pursuit.
Now it‰Ûªs time to tell the full story and Josh: Flying Kiwi!, written by award-winning New Zealand journalist Andy McGechan and the first biography ever written about a Kiwi motocross rider, does just that. A friend of Josh Coppins‰Ûª family, he has known Josh since his teens and had covered his rise to international stardom since the beginning.
McGechan used to race motocross in his early twenties, competing at provincial and national levels. The recently retired newspaper journalist now dedicates himself exclusively to the motorcycle industry and writing for magazines. He is a frequent traveller and has photographed and written about his visits to world championship motocross events around the world. McGechan also operates www.bikesportnz.com as well as the official website for Motorcycling New Zealand, he is laso a regular contributor to Fullnoise.
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